The Strategy Gaming Society is extremely proud and excited to announce the finalists for the 2000 Gamers' Choice Awards, a set of awards which recognizes outstanding strategy board games. These awards are sponsored by the Strategy Gaming Society, and recognize outstanding strategy games from around the world in two main categories: 1) General Strategy Games (Multi-player and 2Player); and 2) Historical Simulation Games.

Eligible games are those released on January 1st or after of the preceding calendar year up until the end of the respective year. Winners are announced on June 1st of each year. This year's nominees are:

GENERAL STRATEGY GAMES: MULTI-PLAYER CATEGORY

GAME : DESIGNER : COMPANY
Chinatown : Karsten Hartwig : Alea
Mamma Mia : Uwe Rosenberg : Abacus Spiele Rio Grande
Mit List und Tacke : Klaus Palesch : Berliner Spielkarten
Ra : Reiner Knizia : Alea / Rio Grande Games
Stephenson's Rocket : Reiner Knizia : Pegasus / Rio Grande Games
Die Stemenfahrer von Catan : Klaus Teuber : Kosmos
Tikal : Kramer / Kiesling : Ravensburger/Rio Grande
Torres : Kramer / Kiesling : FX / Rio Grande
Union Pacific : Alan R. Moon : Amigo / Rio Grande
Vinci : Philippe Keyaerts : Descartes

GENERAL STRATEGY GAMES: TWO PLAYER CATEGORY

GAME : DESIGNER : COMPANY
Isi : Come van Moorsel : Cwali
Kontor : Michael Schacht : Gold Sieber
Lost Cities : Reiner Knizia : Kosmos / Rio Grande
Schotten Totten : Reiner Knizia : ASS

HISTORICAL SIMULATION GAMES

GAME : DESIGNER : COMPANY
Paths of Glory : Ted Raicer : GMT
Totaler Krieg : Steven Kosakowski/Alan Emrich : Decision Games
War Galley : Richard Berg : GMT
Chariot Lords : Charles Vasey : Clash of Arms
Burma : Dean Essig : The Gamers
Last Days of the Grand Armee : Kevin Zucker : OSG
River of Death : Richard Berg : GMT
Tigers in the Mist : Ray Freeman : GMT
Vimeiro : Rob Markham : Markham Designs

There are two separate committees handling the respective awards, each being comprised of knowledgeable, respected and prominent members of the hobby. The GCA has tapped a wide variety of individuals from several different countries, giving a broad perspective into games and the gaming hobby. Particular emphasis was given in selecting individuals who are already active in the reviewin- of games and have their finger on the pulse of the gaming hobby.

Serving on the General Strategy Games committee are:

Greg Aleknevicus: Canada; Experienced game reviewer Ben Baldanza: United States; Experienced game reviewer Frank Branham: United States; Editor of The Games Dumpster website Mike Clifford: Great Britain; Contributing Editor of Counter Magazine Stuart Dagger: Great Britain; Editor of Counter Magazine Ronald Hoekstra: Netherlands; Editor of Spelmagazijn games international website Alan How: Great Britain; Contributing Editor of Counter Magazine Andreas Keirat: Germany; Experienced game reviewer for Luding Herb Levy: United States; Founder of the Gamers Alliance Steffan O'Sullivan: United States; Experienced game reviewer Peter Sarrett: United States; Editor of The Game Report magazine Greg Schloesser: United States; Editor of The Westbank Gainers website Mike Siggins: Great Britain; Review Editor of G3 magazine; Reviewer for Counter maorazine and The Games Cabinet website Mik Svellov: Denmark; Editor of Brett & Board international website

Serving on the Historical Simulation Games committee are: David Carroll: United States; Experienced Playtester and Reviewer Danny Holte: United States; Experienced Game Reviewer Wait O'Hara: United States; Experienced Game Reviewer and Designer Eric Pass: Canada; Experienced Reviewer and Designer Dr. Peter Perla: United States; Game designer, reviewer and author of The Art of Wargaming Alan Poulter: Great Britain; Editor of Web-Grognards website Allan Rothberg: United States; Experienced Game Reviewer Markus Stumptner: Austria; Experienced Game Reviewer Jim Werbaneth: United States; Editor of Line of Departure

For a detailed look at the Committee members and their qualifications, please visit the SGS website at: http://pages.about.com/strategygames.

A direct link to the Gamers' Choice Awards Page is: http://pages.about.com/strategygames/ wizze.html

The Gamers' Choice Awards are truly international in scope and are a tremendous tool in helping to promote outstanding games to the public.